A confluence of events reminded me of the real challenge Britain faces to reboot itself as a nation of entrepreneurs. I emerged on Wednesday from a persuasive briefing with Santander's boss Ana Botin on her campaign to recruit more small-business customers to read an email reporting that a little-known company called Ubiquisys had been sold.

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Independent Crossword

A sharper focus for the IT crowd

Computing graduates are dwindling, but two new OU degrees could change that, says Yvonne Cook

The missing link that will allow your gadgets to speak a common language

All those web-enabled devices in your home are just a step away from becoming seamlessly linked together. All it takes is one more gizmo, writes Simon Clarke

Facebook's billion-user drive could hit China's internet wall

The social networking site is proving less popular in North America even as it gains a hold in other highly populated countries. But the biggest nation could be too much to chew

CSR slashes Zoran bid as shock losses emerge

The chip maker CSR is to push ahead with the takeover of Zoran but has slashed the value of its offer by almost a third after its US target revealed shock losses.

Paolo Di Canio takes charge at Swindon

Paolo Di Canio has been confirmed as Swindon's new manager.

R for recovery plan? Yell plots digital future

With debts of £2.7bn and falling sales, does Yell have time to turn around?

Inspirational! Asian women of achievement

Kate Youde and Andrew McCorkell profile this year's nominees for the prestigious awards

Investment Column: Stay put at Rightmove despite the slump

Henderson; Spirent

Business analysis: the public sector has much to gain from small business

If words alone made the difference, Britain's entrepreneurs would be kings of the world. By common consent, they – and only they – can lead us out of the financial mess in which we find ourselves. Politicians of all hues seem convinced that small and medium-sized businesses, rather than their larger brethren, are not just going to provide the economy with a much-need boost through their innovative zeal. They also believe they'll pick up the slack created by cutbacks in public services and, along the way, put some meat on the bones of the idea of the Big Society.

The swift rise and fall of the Flip camcorder

Even by the standards of today's fast-paced technological change, the life story of the Flip camcorder happened at breakneck speed.

Fujitsu takes on BT over rural fibre

Fujitsu is set to compete with BT for Government subsidies as it prepares a £2bn roll out of superfast broadband infrastructure to households in rural areas.

Cisco shuts down the Flip

The flip video camera, which became a sensation when it was launched in 2007 because it was so easy to use, was axed by the technology giant Cisco yesterday, after the product was eclipsed by smartphones and digital cameras which all now shoot video.

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Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

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Doctors are hailing the revamp of a Bath neonatal unit, where babies sleep more and feed better, as the model for patient care
One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

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Epecuen was submerged under 10 metres of water in 1985. Now the floods have gone – and 83-year-old Pablo Novak has moved back in
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